Interview with Charlie Metro, June 13, 1991

Partial Transcript: -----------??---------- professional baseball in 1939, is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about several Minor League teams, as well as the leagues themselves. He also talks about trying out with Augie Donatelli, who later became a famous umpire.
[there are some distortions in the recording]

Keywords: Comparisons; Farm clubs; Farm system; Jack Fournier; Kitty League; Signings; Try outs

Subjects: Baseball players; Baseball umpires; Donatelli, August J; Minor league baseball; Pennsylvania; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Well tell me about, uh, your first impressions of Mayfield, Kentucky, 1939.

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes his experiences playing for the Kitty League, part of the Minor Leagues. He also talks about some of the other Kitty League players, and the managers.

Keywords: Belleville (Ill.) (??); Boarding houses; Buses; Chief Bender; Kitty League; Money; Scouts; Spring training

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball teams; DeWitt, William O; Kitty League (Baseball league); Mayfield (Ky.); Minor league baseball; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: ...I played center field between uh, Jim Russell and Gilmore Joseph (??)...

Segment Synopsis: Metro discusses Kitty League players Gilmore Joseph (??), Ellis Kinder and Danny Gardella.

Keywords: Bourbon; Dave Koslo; Don Jose's; Drinking; Ellis Kinder (??); Fulton; Gilmore Joseph (??); Margaritas; Restaurants; Stupidity; curve balls

Subjects: Baseball players; Boston Red Sox (Baseball Team); DiMaggio, Joe, 1914-1999; Gardella, Daniel L; Kitty League (Baseball league); Mayfield (Ky.); Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: T-- tell me about uh, uh, Vern Stephens and what kind of a, uh, a guy he was...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about fellow Kitty League player Vern Stephens. He also talks about some of the different types of pitches that were employed in the Kitty League.

Keywords: Batting practice; Curve balls; Dancers; Ellis Kinder; Fastballs; Hair; Haircuts; Hitters; Hundley; Jim Russell; Marriage; Sinkers; Sliders; Switch hitters; Talent

Subjects: Baseball players; Kitty League (Baseball league); Mayfield (Ky.); Stephens, Vern, 1920-1968; Trout, Dizzy, 1916-1972

Partial Transcript: Another thing that I noticed about, you know, looking at, at box scores and things dealing with the Kitty League...

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes some of the fields he played in in the Kitty League, and discusses the loyalty of Kitty League fans.

Keywords: Black baseball fans; Cars; Cows; Errors; Fouls; Hughie Wise; Lights; Outfields; Shadows; The Bottom

Subjects: Baseball fans; Baseball fields; Baseball umpires; Kitty League (Baseball league); Owensboro (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: One of the, um, things that kind of intrigues me is that, the whole concept of the idea of, of all of you...

Segment Synopsis: Metro tells the story of how he met his wife, and how they were married.
[There are some distortions in the recording]

Keywords: Brushes; Coal mines; Colonel Brisenbane (??); Food; Friendliness; Marriage; Merritt Clubhouse; Money; Palestine (Tex.); Radio; Saddle shoes; Wives

Subjects: Baseball players; Kitty League (Baseball league); Mayfield (Ky.); Stephens, Vern, 1920-1968; Texarkana (Tex.)

Partial Transcript: Well now, when you went to Mayfield, who did you stay with? You stayed in a private home...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about what it was like to live in Mayfield, Kentucky. He also shares a story about how he was fined by his manager for staying out late the night before a doubleheader.

Keywords: Baseball games; Beer; Benny Tate; Brisendines (??); Bud Williams; Buses; Cars; Cherry coke; Children; Doubleheaders; Fines; Fritz Kahn; Money; Reese Barton (??); Salaries; School buses; Stone's Drug Store

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players; Mayfield (Ky.); Pitchers (Baseball); Stephens, Vern, 1920-1968

Partial Transcript: ...Yeah, of course now you, you, you had a bunch of young kids, basically.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about his experiences playing Minor League baseball in Texas. He also tells how he tried several times to enlist in the military during World War II. He was turned down and spent most of that time playing baseball instead.
[there are some distortions in the recording]

Keywords: American Eagle Squadron; Beaumont; East Texas League; Explosions; Farm clubs; Off-season; Pacific Coast League

Subjects: Baseball players; Minor league baseball; Texarkana (Tex.); United States. Marine Corps; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Tell me about hitting against Feller.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about playing against Bob Feller during World War II. He also briefly discusses how he was later released from the Detroit Tigers because of his union-related activities.
[there are some distortions in the recording]

Keywords: Fastballs; Hitters; Hitting; Money; Unions

Subjects: Baseball players; Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team); Feller, Bob, 1918-2010

Partial Transcript: Um, so you, your Major League debut was, was May fourth, 1943, right?

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about his manager, Steve O'Neill, and what the Tigers team was like during World War II.

Keywords: Fastballs; Hitters; Steve O'Neill

Subjects: Baseball managers; Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team); Major League Baseball (Organization); St. Louis Browns (Baseball Team); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: ...Well let me, let me name a couple that were on that, on that club, because these...

Segment Synopsis: Metro discusses some of the players he knew when he played for the Detroit Tigers during World War II.

Keywords: Al Benton; Art Houtteman; Batting practice; Beer; Bob Swift; Drinking; Hal Newhouser; Personality

Subjects: Baseball players; Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team); Pitchers (Baseball); Trout, Dizzy, 1916-1972

Partial Transcript: Well you know that, that, we talk about the, the press and, and the sportswriters...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about some of the other Tigers players he played with.

Keywords: Billy Pierce; Doc Cramer; Hitters; Hitting; Jimmy Ottlaw (??); Paul Richards; Roger Cramer; Rudy York; Running; Scouts; Smoking; Sportswriters; Stealing; Ted Gray; Vic Wertz; Writers

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players; Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Wakefield was a tremendous...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Dick Wakefield and Hoot Evers, describing their talent as baseball players.

Keywords: Catching; Dick Wakefield; Eddie Lake; Floyd Baker; Hitters; Hitting; Hoot Evers; Running; Talent; Throwing

Subjects: Baseball players

Partial Transcript: Jack Zeller was the uh, general manager...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about the contract that he made with the Detroit Tigers, and how he had to negotiate for more money. He also discusses the value of money during World War II, and tells a story about bartering for gas to be able to drive home on.

Keywords: Baseballs; Cars; Contracts; Jack Zeller; Jobs; Marriage; Money; Munitions plants; Stamps; Trading

Subjects: Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Now, you uh, uh, in 1944 were still with the Tigers.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about his training in Evansville, Indiana, the use of balata baseballs during the war due to rubber shortages, and players Bert Shepard and Pete Gray, who both played baseball despite missing a leg and an arm, respectively.

Keywords: Balata; Baseballs; Bert Shepard; Bob Coleman; Evansville (Ind.); Floods; Ice; Imitation rubber; McCurdy Hotel; Military; Pete Gray; Servicemen; Spring training; Steve O'Neill; Sympathy; Training; Water

Subjects: St. Louis Browns (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: ...And the other military guy was a big pitcher for the, for Philadelphia.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Lou Brissie and how he played baseball even after he was severely injured in World War II. He also talks about a movement that he was involved in to unionize baseball players.

Keywords: Blood; Crutches; Doc Cramer; Jack Zeller; Lou Brissie; Money; Roger Cramer; Salaries; Union stewards; Unions

Subjects: Baseball players; Detroit Tigers (Baseball Team); Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Pitchers (Baseball); Strikes and lockouts; Williams, Ted, 1918-2002

Partial Transcript: And uh, then we trade, trained in Frederick, Maryland...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about team owner Connie Mack.

Keywords: Frederick (Md.); Hitters; Knuckle balls; Moves; Pitches

Subjects: Baseball players; Catchers (Baseball); Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team); St. Louis Browns (Baseball Team); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: ...And Al Simmons was a great friend of mine too.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Philadelphia Athletics coach Al Simmons, and also recounts the only time that he remembers ever hearing Connie Mack swear. His team had been beaten a number of times by the St. Louis Browns.

Keywords: Al Simmons; Chase Hotel; Contracts; Pete Gray; Practice; Spying; Swearing; Threats; Uniforms

Subjects: Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team); St. Louis Browns (Baseball Team); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: But now, his um, he, he would wear that uh, high collar sometimes...

Segment Synopsis: Metro tells how Connie Mack advised him when he was hitting in a tied baseball game, and what happened when he struck out afterwards. He also shares his opinions on Earl Mack, Connie Mack's son.

Keywords: Baseball games; Collars; Earl Mack; Hats; Joe Burns (??); Pinch hitters; Roy Mack; Ties

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball team owners; Kell, George

Partial Transcript: Some of the, you, if it's okay, I would like to go over some of the...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about pitcher Bobo Newsom. He also discusses pitcher Don Black, and tells how he was asked by Connie Mack to watch him and make sure that he didn't drink.

Keywords: Alcoholics; Alcoholism; Attire; Barracks; Bobo Newsom; Bullpens; Don Black; Drinking; Frederick (Md.); Grooming; Mumbling; Pitching; Training

Subjects: Baseball players; Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team); Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: ...You had a very young pitcher called Carl Scheib.

Segment Synopsis: Metro briefly mentions Carl Scheib, also talking about some of the games that he won for fellow Athletics player Russ Christopher.

Keywords: Carl Scheib; Food; Hank Borowy; Heart problems; Home runs; Russ Christopher; Weight gain

Subjects: Baseball players; New York Yankees (Baseball Team); Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team); Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Another pitcher that you had come back late that year who was a great pitcher...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Phil Marchildon and his difficulty returning to playing baseball after he served in World War II. He also talks about George Kell.

Keywords: Batting swing; Hitters; Machine gunnery; Naval air bases; Phil Marchildon; Prisoners of war; Talent; Tommy Henrich; Work; Work ethic; Zone hitters

Subjects: Baseball players; Kell, George; Pitchers (Baseball); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Um, tell me a little bit about Dick Siebert. You mentioned him...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about fellow Athletics players Dick Siebert and Bobby Estalella.

Keywords: Bill McGee; Bobby Estalella; Dick Siebert; English language; Glasses; Hal Peck; Hitters; Outfielders; Running; Shibe Park (Philadelphia, Penn.)

Subjects: Baseball coaches; Chicago White Sox (Baseball Team); Mack, Connie, 1862-1956

Partial Transcript: Frank Hayes was the best of, and Buddy Rosar was a pretty good catcher.

Segment Synopsis: Metro tells how he learned from Connie Mack that he had just been sold to the Oakland Oaks. He describes his financial arrangements at that time as well.

Keywords: Baseball games; Baseball player trades; Bonuses; Buddy Rosar; Casey Stengel; Contracts; Cookie Devinsen (??); Finances; Firefighters; Frank Hayes; Hank Majeski; Money; Oakland (Calif.); Oakland Oaks (Baseball teams); Pacific Coast League; Player trades; Seattle

Subjects: Baseball players; Catchers (Baseball); Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team)

Partial Transcript: T-- tell me, you know, Shibe Park's gone.

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes what Shibe Park was like when he played there, also talking about the Philadelphia Athletics of that time period. He discusses Calvin Griffith and his relationship with the baseball players who worked for him.

Keywords: Baseball parks; Baseballs; Bullpens; Dugouts; Fences; Gene Mock (??); Salaries; Shibe Park (Philadelphia, Penn.); Stands; Walls

Subjects: Baseball fans; Baseball fields; Catchers (Baseball); Griffith, Calvin R; Mack, Connie, 1862-1956; Philadelphia Athletics (Baseball team)

Partial Transcript: What did uh, you know, y-- what did you do in the, you know, the war ended and...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Casey Stengel, in both his personality and his skill as a manager. He tells several stories about him as a manager.

Keywords: "Danny little road apple"; "Stengelese"; Baseball games; Billy Martin; Casey Stengel; Doubleheaders; Electricians; Gil Hodges; Jo Jo White; Oakland Oaks; Off-season; Running; Sleeping; Split doubleheaders; Spring training; Tactics; Work

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players; Chicago Cubs (Baseball Team); New York Mets (Baseball team); New York Yankees (Baseball Team); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Now when you were with Oakland, you had some, a couple good ballplayers.

Segment Synopsis: Metro discusses some of the players he knew in Oakland and Seattle.

Keywords: Baseball games; Bob Johnson; Cigar clips; Cigars; Clark Kent; Dewey Soriano; Earl Torgeson; Edo Vanni; Fishing; Gene Bearden; Jim Westlake; Les Garcella (??); Lou Novikoff; Money; Oakland Oaks (Baseball team); Pacific Coast League; Salaries; Veterans; Wally Westlake

Subjects: Baseball; Pitchers (Baseball); Seattle (Wash.)

Partial Transcript: Do you remember a guy named Al Niemiec? He uh, there was a case that...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about Al Niemiec and his court case involving the payment and employment status of baseball players who had fought in World War II. He also mentions a number of other Pacific League players he knew.

Keywords: Al Niemiec; Cliff Chambers; Court cases; Ferris Fain; Larry Jansen; Money; Pacific Coast League; Payment; Sliders; Tony Lupien; Veterans

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: Uh, the Coast League was really tough. I'll tell you why it was tough because you played seven game series...

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes the Pacific Coast League at the time that he played in it. He tells how he became a manager and talks about players Clint Courtney and Billy Martin, and their tendency to fight with one another.

Keywords: Batting average; Billy Martin; Bisbee (Ariz.); Clint Courtney; Doubleheaders; Feuds; Joe Devine; Money; Pacific Coast League; Scouts

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: Now, this is Class C.

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about managing the Bisbee Minor League team in Arizona. He also tells a story about the team's bus driver Frank Lucchesi, who was later manager of the Phillies.

Keywords: Arizona-Texas League; Bisbee (Ariz.); Bus drivers; Buses; Comedians; Dirt; Dwight Patterson; Flash floods; Frank Lucchesi; Highways; Mesa (Ariz.); Mirages; Uniforms; Vaughn Monroe; Water

Subjects: Baseball fields; Baseball managers; Baseball teams

Partial Transcript: The only other guy I recognize in that league was Joe DeMaestri.

Segment Synopsis: Metro shares his experiences managing for the Twin Falls Cowboys, an Idaho-based team that was part of the Pioneer League. He talks about the team's players.

Keywords: Beer; Boarding houses; Farm clubs; Gambling; Hunting; Jackrabbits; Joe DeMaestri; Marriage; Pioneer League; Rabbit hunting; Twin Falls (Idaho); Twin Falls Cowboys (Baseball team); Working out; Young men

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball player-managers; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: How'd you do that first year, '48?

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about the Cowboys' records in the years that he managed the team.

Keywords: Doubleheaders; Farm clubs; Frank Finnegan; George Weiss; Home runs; Joe Devine; Pennants

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball player-managers; Baseball players; Minor league baseball; New York Yankees (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: The, the farm system, uh, they had a, they had some strange rules by today's standards...

Segment Synopsis: Metro briefly describes some of the rules that he had to enforce for the players as manager of a Yankees affiliated team. He also talks about his experiences playing and managing in Montgomery, Alabama.

Keywords: Baseball batting tees; Bill Walsingham; Curfews; Farm systems; Hitting; Home runs; Langston; Montgomery (Ala.); Pants; Patents; Room checks; Rules; Sally League; South Atlantic League; Suits; Tailors; Tees; Workouts

Subjects: New York Yankees (Baseball Team); St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: You know, part of the Major League baseball, of course, is, or Minor League baseball...

Segment Synopsis: Metro recalls some of the promotions that his Minor League team did in order to draw more fans. He also talks about Kirby Higbe, who played several seasons in the Minor Leagues after his Major League career.

Keywords: "Automobile Night"; Ben Goldsmith (??); Cars; Finances; Jack Parks; Kirby Higbe; Knuckle balls; Money; Promotions; Sally League; South Atlantic League

Subjects: Baseball fans; Baseball managers; Baseball players; Baseball teams; Minor league baseball; Pitchers (Baseball); Television

Partial Transcript: I di-- again, didn't recognize too many ball players in the league at that time but Savannah had Harry Byrd...

Segment Synopsis: Metro talks about some of the Sally League players he knew when he was playing and managing the Montgomery, Alabama team.

Keywords: Batting averages; Eugene Host; Everett Kell; Frank Robinson; Hank Williams; Harry Byrd; Sally League; South Atlantic League

Subjects: Aaron, Hank, 1934-; African American baseball players; Baseball players; Wounds and injuries.

Partial Transcript: I was gonna ask you this, um, uh, I'm going to ask at this point in time...

Segment Synopsis: Metro states he felt that great respect was given to black baseball players during his time as a player and manager. He also shares his thoughts on what is needed for a player to become successful.

Keywords: Ability; Black baseball players; Buddy Peterson; Conditioning; Curve balls; Desire; Dick Wakefield; Disabled list; Faces; Frank Robinson; Gil McDougald; Hitters; Red Strader; Respect; Running; Talent

Subjects: Aaron, Hank, 1934-; African American baseball players; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: You, I, I, I, I've been told that, in this day and age that we have probably, you know, we've had good athletes all the way along...

Segment Synopsis: Metro discusses the importance of conditioning players as a manager, and the sorts of injuries that result from failing to do so. He also describes some of the major aspects of being a manager, such as teaching the fundamentals and not showing too much emotion. He tells how he created charts to track his pitchers as part of this work.

Keywords: Batting cages; Batting tees; Bunting; Charts; Conditioning; Decisiveness; Disabled list; Emotions; Kansas City Royals (Baseball games); Learning; Lineup cards; Pinch hitters; Respect; Running

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball managers; Baseball players; Pitchers (Baseball); Wounds and injuries

Partial Transcript: Did you have some surprises?

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes some of the other, more unusual things that he did as manager, such as try to learn ventriloquism so that he could confuse the other team. He also talks about the talent of famous hitters Stan Musial, Ted Williams, and Joe DiMaggio.

Keywords: Eyesight; Handwriting analysis; Handwriting experts; Hitters; Lou Brock; Personality; Pilots; Rod Carew; Ventriloquism

Subjects: Baseball players; Chicago Cubs (Baseball Team); DiMaggio, Joe, 1914-1999; Musial, Stan, 1920-2013; Williams, Ted, 1918-2002

Partial Transcript: The biggest difference that I see is the players today make more great fielding plays...

Segment Synopsis: Metro describes modern day (1991) fielding, compared to the fielding of his day. He also discusses some of the promotions and innovations of Bill Veeck.

Keywords: Bob Swift; Concessions; Dwarves; Eddie Gaedel; Fielding; Little people; Nurseries; Outfielders; Promotions; Radios; Rickey Henderson; Speed; Televisions

Subjects: Baseball players; Veeck, Bill

Partial Transcript: Another owner from Chicago that you knew, Phil Wrigley.

Segment Synopsis: Metro discusses team owner Phil Wrigley and coach Buck O'Neill.

Keywords: Alvin Tap (??); Arguments; Buck O'Neill; Fred Martin; John Holland; Payment; Teachers

Subjects: Baseball coaches; Baseball managers; Baseball team owners; Basketball players; Pitchers (Baseball); Wrigley, Philip K. (Philip Knight), 1894-1977

Partial Transcript: The last person I wanna ask you about is Leo Durocher.

Segment Synopsis: Metro tells a story about Leo Durocher and Willie Mays. He also talks about Bill Terry and other umpires, and tells a story about having to play mainly pitchers in a game because so many of the other players on the team were missing for various reasons.

Keywords: Agitators; Bill Terry; Gamblers; Salaries; Sally League; South Atlantic League; Willie Mays

Subjects: Baseball players; Baseball umpires; Durocher, Leo, 1906-1991; Pitchers (Baseball)

Partial Transcript: What did you carry, about seventeen, eighteen ball players then? On the team?

Segment Synopsis: Metro tells a story about a player who misinterpreted his (Metro's) scratching at a mosquito as being the sign for him to steal a base. This misunderstanding ended up winning the game for his team. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Baseball games; City treasurers; Dick Greco; Harry Byrd; Home runs; Montgomery (Ala.); Mosquitoes; Sally League; Savannah (Ga.); Signs; South Atlantic League; Steal sign

Subjects: Baseball players; Catchers (Baseball)